Our series “How I Became a …,” digs into the stories of accomplished and influential people and finding out how they got to where they are in their careers. We’re finding out what their biggest challenges, their biggest passions and their biggest pieces of wisdom are — for you.

Editor's note: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

Whether whipping people into shape on Khloe Kardashian's Revenge Body, appearing on Dr. Oz or being mentioned in the pages of Vogue, celebrity trainer Lacey Stone has quite the resume.

If I were to go to Starbucks I would order a tall iced coffee with a splash of almond milk.

Who's been your biggest mentor?

I am a big fan of Michael Jordan. I watched him when I was a little girl, I taped and DVR'ed his basketball games, because if you watch him, every single game he ever played, he gave all he had -- he believed that he will make every shot he takes, he never gets down on himself, and he makes everyone around him better. I watch him because he's the greatest, and I try to live my life like the way he played, every single day.

CLOSE

Michelle Washington, managing editor for STUDIO Gannett, makes time for walking 5 miles a day by getting a good night's sleep, joining fitness challenges and making herself a priority.
Mom Bod

What's the coolest thing you've ever done?

I gave my friend my eggs, and I have a little girl. She's going to be four tomorrow, and I gave him all parental rights, but I still see her and it's amazing.

What are the top songs on your workout playlist?

To You by David Guetta and Justin Bieber

I Feel It Coming by The Weekend

Freedom by George Michael

Feels by Calvin Harris and Pharrell

What was your career path, from college to now?

I played sports my whole life, from when I was a little girl. I loved sports, and part of sports is working out -- they go hand in hand. I got a basketball scholarship, and when I got out of college I was like "Oh my God, what do I do?" All I knew how to do was be an athlete. I didn't play professionally, so I ended up working as a trainer at Equinox in New York City. It was when fitness was just taking off, and Jane Fonda type of dance was going on, and everyone was with the beat of the music.

I remember looking in the studio and thinking, "I don't belong there. They should have a sports class in the studio." The teachers that were the most popular at the gym taught in the studio, and I thought that I would start a class that no one had done before. So, I called it the big game, and I used all of my college knowledge, created this class that was not on the beat -- it was a HIIT interval class (High-Intensity Interval Training).

It became the most popular class at Equinox, and then I got signed by Nike and went on TV a bunch and it just kind of took off from there. I moved to LA and it was basically like a start-over -- I had to completely start my career over because when you come across the country, no one knows who you are.

So I got really down on myself, I had done so well in New York and then I had to start over in L.A. -- I ended up getting a divorce, I couldn't work at Equinox anymore, and then my friend died. I was really upset and I started to drink and eat poorly and my life was at this turning point, and I said that I had to get myself back together and that I was going to take eight weeks to eat perfectly, not drink, and make myself the best I could be.

My body totally transformed, and I was so happy, and so I created a program called 8 Weeks to Change and made it about helping people -- getting my passion back for why I started doing this, and it has become really successful. It did so well that Khloe Kardashian's show noticed it, and all these things have been happening to me.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Love freely, trust few, and always paddle your own canoe.

What's your most important health or nutrition tip?

Learn how to treat yourself with respect, love yourself, and every day be the best you can be inside and out. Get plenty of sleep, try to get in some exercise, and eat well. Be a good person, stop worrying about what you look like on the outside, because the sexiest thing someone can wear is happiness, so focus on what makes you happy and the rest will fall into place.

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

Figure out what your point of differentiation is -- what is your thing? If you want to be this big deal trainer, you have to sell yourself. If you're like everybody else, who cares? You have to come up with your own thing. For me, I am an athlete, and I love art -- so, the music and the sport combined, that's what I do. You have to go to school, learn everything. Practice what you preach. If you say you're going to eat this, and you won't drink, and you'll work out hard, you better do that, because then you're authentic and people will believe you. Look the part, act the part, and work. Your. Ass. Off. All day. At the end of the day, when you're tired, and you get knocked down, you get yourself back up and you keep. Going.